Thinking about it leads us to thanking Him!

Think about it. For most it’s Tuesday, September 2, 2008, and it’s the first work day of the week! We stayed in touch with our folks in Louisiana all day yesterday and we are still monitoring Gustav and praying for all those who have been impacted by this storm. Our Labor Day was spent keeping one eye on the Weather Channel while going about our routine. As usual, I was up bright and early. My better half was doing her best impression of someone sleeping in and I went upstairs to do my blog, work on my upcoming Bible lesson on the letter Paul wrote to Titus, while listening to old time radio programs on the internet. I enjoyed the Bing Crosby Christmas show from 1948, an old Fibber Magee and Molly episode, a Gene Autry program and a wonderful presentation from December of 1953 of a cowboy version of ‘A Christmas Carol’ from the series starring Jimmy Stewart called ‘Six Shooter’. I then went for a brisk thirty-minute walk, came back and fetched my bride and we enjoyed a senior’s breakfast at our local I-Hop. Later in the afternoon we put together a home cooked meal that would make you ‘slap your pappy’! My mom had given us some of her cooked mustard greens, butter beans, mustard green salad, and we added some seasoned chicken breasts and cornbread. It took every ounce of my strength to not revert back to the days when I would have returned for seconds and thirds. But I ask you one more time: Is this a great country or what?

Someone asked at our Church meeting Sunday, “Can you believe it’s September already?” I couldn’t agree more. I can tell you that a couple of days recently I felt a little tinge of coolness in the very early morning air. I checked the low temperature chart on the web Monday morning and saw where one spot in Oregon was down to 39 degrees. Whoopee! I heard there had been an early cold front blow through that part of the country, but man oh man, wouldn’t that be sweet? Well not to everyone. My wife wasn’t long at I-Hop before she said she wished she had worn a sleeve. Must be nice! Most of us have to look at a map and dream of feeling a little nip in the air. I am so looking forward to our first legitimate cold front. Everyone needs something to look forward to!

This would be the time of year when my granddad and I would have been out getting wood for the upcoming winter. There’s some sense of pride in warming yourself by the fireplace while knowing you helped provide the fuel. I can easily see my grandfather sitting in that rocking chair enjoying his fire. Building a proper fire was very important to him. He and my brother-in-law Kenneth used to argue about just how to do it. My granddad always wanted a huge green wood log in the back surrounded by dry wood so that the green would burn slowly all day long. Kenneth arranged his differently but their forth and back was all in fun. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if these types of arguments were all we had to worry about in 2008? Such memories.

In the end, we thank God for such great recollections. We thank Him for a three-day holiday. We thank Him for being able to spend a hazy lazy day enjoying ourselves. We thank Him that He is with us even during the storms that batter our lives. This includes the weather itself and the other emotional trials that come like a wave of tornado funnel clouds that often hit us without warning. We received word last week from a pastor friend we’ve known for nearly forty years. His cancer was in remission but has come back with a vengeance. He said he spent the first few days feeling down and discouraged but then he said he remembered that God was on His throne and concerned before his cancer had returned and He was still in that very same place, on His throne and concerned. He said he then got up and got busy using his time to tackle this new challenge while seeking to faithfully serve God with his remaining days. Say a prayer for Brother Jess Hill and may we all allow his testimony to encourage us this week. Amen. ….More later.